Carpet and linoleum stretcher.



G. E. NORDGRHN & J. Y. JONES, JB.' CARPET AND LINOLEUM STRETGHER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1908.

91 3,545. Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

WITNESSES INVENTORS,

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE,

GILLO E. NORDGREN, OF MEROED, AND JACOB Y. JONES, Jlt, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

CARPET AND LINOLE'UM STBETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 2, 1908.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 451A09.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GILLo E. NORDGREN, of Merced, county of Merced, State of California, and JACOB Y. JONES, Jr., of Fresno, Fresno county, California, both citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Carpet and Linoleum Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a device for stretching linoleum, carpet and the like, preparatory to laying the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a stretcher which is simple, cheap, practical, and easily manipulated, whereby a carpet can be stretched either crosswise or lengthwise and tacked down and held smooth and taut; the device being adapted for stretching any length or width of linoleum or carpet.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the device being used in close work.

A represents a frame of any suitable size, shape or material, and provided with suit able means, as the bolt or rod 2 having a gimlet point 3, to secure the device to the floor. The bolt is made to slide loose in suitable guides 4: and is held from coming out of the guides by appropriate means, as the stop collar 5.

In practice, the frame is made with a vertical portion to which the guides 1 are secured, the frame having an offset lateral foot-piece 6 to rest on the floor, and perforated to allow the gimlet point 3 to pass through. This gimlet point is adapted to be screwed into the floor until the stop collar 5 bears down tight on the foot-piece 6. The top of the frame is bent forward and suitably fashioned to accommodate two screws 7 and 8.

-Where the device is used for stretching the linoleum or carpet strip lengthwise, the screw 7 fits into a socket 9 of a clamp bar 10 which cooperates with a corresponding gripping member 11 adapted to be rigidly fixed to the frame A.

For stretching the strip crosswise or for shorter lengths of linoleum where a great amount of stretching is not necessary, we

employ a curved hook-shaped coupler 12 which has a socket 13 at one end to receive the end of the screw 7, the other end of the coupler fitting into the socket 9 of the clamp bar 10. The object of this coupler is to allow the clamp bar 10 to cooperate with a com plementary gripping surface 1 1 nearer the floor than the gripping member 11. Preferably these gripping members 1114l are hinged together, as shown at 15, and removably secured to the frame A by suitable means, as the bolts and thumb nuts 16, whereby the device can be knocked down and folded up into a small compass so as to be carried in the grip of a carpet-layer.

The stretching device is represented by the screw 8 and the roller 17; the roller 17 being supported loosely to turn in the com caved seat of an arm 18 which is swivelly connected with the lower end of the screw 8.

The operation of the device is as follows: If the strip of carpet is to be stretched lengthwise, or if a long strip is to be stretched, the strip is tacked down at one end and the stretching device set up at the other, being set near the wall, and the gimlet point 3 screwed into the floor so as to maintain the device upright. Cooperating with the gimlet to give stability to the device, is a pivoted dog 19 having a sharp hook-shaped point adapted to be driven in the floor behind the device. The clai'nping bar 10 is engaged directly with the screw 7, and the free edge of the carpet or linoleum engaged between the bar 10 and gripping member 11. Downward pressure is then applied to the strip between the two secured ends, by means of the roller 17 and screw 8. The roller is of suflicient length to reach across the material to be stretched, and is loosely supported in the concaved portion of the arm 18. By screwing down on the screw 8 the roller is forced down, thereby stretching the linoleum.

The roller 17 being loosely supported in its seat, can turn as the screw is worked down, and no injury will be done to the linoleum.

"When it is desired to stretch a short length of linoleum or carpet, or to stretch the same sidewise, the device is set up as before described, but now the coupler 12 is used and the free edge of the linoleum is clamped against the lower gripping surface 14; the rest of the operation being the same.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A stretching device having means for securing it stationary, means carried by the device for gripping the strip to be stretched, and means including a tensioning device and a loose roller between the same and the strip to be stretched, for applying tension between the ends of the secured strip.

2. A stretching device comprising a frame having means for securing it in fixed position, gripping means, and tensioning means including a screw actuated arm having a curved seat and a loose roller interposed between said seat and the strip to be stretched, said tensioning means cooperating with said gripping means.

3. A stretching device comprising a frame having means for securing it to the floor, a gripping device for gripping the strip to be stretched, and a tensioning device cooperating with the gripping device, said tensioning device including a screw, a roller, and a seat supporting the roller and operated on by the screw.

a. A stretching device comprising a frame having means for securing it to the floor, a clamping screw, a clamping bar operated by the screw, a clamping member on the frame cooperating with the screw to grip the strip to be stretched, and a tensioning device interposed between the clamping bar and said strip.

5. A stretching device comprising a frame having means for securing it to the floor, a clamping screw, aclamping bar operated by frame and having a plurality of gripping '50 surfaces, a movable clamp member, means for adapting it to cooperate with said several gripping surfaces, and a tensioning de vice interposed between the clamping bar and said strip and cooperating with said gripping means.

7. A stretching device comprising a frame having means for securing it to the floor, a plurality of clamping members fixed to the frame and arranged at different levels, a gripping bar, means for operating said gripping bar to cooperate with said several clamping members, and a tensioning device interposed between the clamping bar and the strip, said device adapted to cooperate with said clamping mechanism.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GILLO E. NQRDGREN. JACOB Y. JONES, JR. lVitnesses H. J. GLASGOW, JOSEPH Sro'rrmns. 

